Resource Educator

COMPENSATION: Free housing is provided at either the Hatfield Marine Science Center located 5 miles south of Yaquina Head.

Resource Educators receives a $200/week stipend from Yaquina Lights Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to education and preservation of Yaquina Head Lighthouse and the natural resources of Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. 

WORK SCHEDULE: Spring: 40 hours/week, Saturdays and Sundays off. Summer: 40 hours/week, two weekdays off each week. Resource Educators should expect to work on holidays year-round and weekends during the summer. 

THE AREA: Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, a 100 acre parkland managed by the Bureau of Land Management, is located on a prominent headland just three miles north of Newport, on Oregons scenic central coast. Nestled comfortably between the Pacific Ocean and the Coastal Range, the city of Newport offers the convenience of its larger counterparts within the relaxed atmosphere of a small town. 

GENERAL POSITION DUTIES: Resource Educators at Yaquina Head may find themselves exploring tidepools with elementary school students, describing the migration of gray whales as they swim past, answering questions about the area at the sites interpretive center, and greeting visitors at the fee collection booth, or guiding visitors into the past inside Oregons tallest lighthouse. Resource Educators are responsible for education and protection of the areas cultural and natural resources including harbor seals, whales, bald eagles, gray whales, various nesting seabirds, geology, and native vegetation. 

SPRING SEASON DUTIES: Approximately 4000 elementary students visit Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area during April, May, and June each year. 

During the spring, with the guidance of the Chief Park Ranger, the Resource Educators will: 

• Develop and instruct grade-specific intertidal ecology programs for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students.
• Develop and instruct a costumed living history program for third and forth grade students.
• Develop instructional materials and a system of inventory and maintenance.
• Staff the Interpretive Center information desk and the fee collection booth.
• Provide information and informal interpretive services for the general public.

SUMMER SEASON DUTIES: Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area receives over 300,000 visitors annually. Visitation is highest in the summer. 

During the summer, with the guidance of the Chief Ranger, Resource Educators will: 

• Develop and present costumed tours of Yaquina Head Lighthouse
• Develop an interpretive campfire program and present it at nearby Oregon State Park campgrounds.
• Develop and present interpretive intertidal walks.
• Staff the Interpretive Center information desk and the fee collection booth.
• Provide information and informal interpretive services for the general public.

QUALIFICATIONS: This internship provides excellent career-oriented experience for anyone interested in environmental education and resource interpretation. No prior experience is necessary. Applicants must have: 

• A valid drivers license
• A personal vehicle (transportation to and from Yaquina Head)
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for working with children and park visitors.

THE EDUCATION PROGRAM MISSION The Bureau of Land Management is currently developing a new education and interpretive program at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area that emphasizes park stewardship through hands-on and minds-on engagement in the areas resources. 

TO APPLY: Send a resume, cover letter, and a list of three reference contacts to: Jay Moeller, Chief Park Ranger BLM, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area PO Box 936 Newport, OR 97365